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Netflix Launches Animated Stranger Things Spin-Off 'Tales from ’85'

The launch signals Netflix’s push to extend a flagship franchise through animation with fresh voices.

Overview

  • The series, which premiered Thursday on Netflix, spans 10 episodes of about 30 minutes each.
  • Set in winter 1985 between seasons 2 and 3, the story follows the Hawkins kids as new creatures surface even though the Upside Down seems sealed.
  • The original live-action cast does not return, with a new voice ensemble led by Odessa A’zion as newcomer Nikki Baxter and notable turns from Janeane Garofalo and Robert Englund.
  • Created by Eric Robles with Matt and Ross Duffer as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen, the show is produced by animation studio Flying Bark.
  • Early reviews highlight a lighter, more kid-aimed tone and question the spin-off’s necessity, with some critics comparing the look to Telltale-style and Fortiche-like 3D rather than retro 2D cartoons.